Minnesota

Minnesota

There are no known cougar populations in Minnesota and sightings are extremely rare. The DNR gets about 50 reports of cougar sightings each year, but most of these turn out to be large house cats or even yellow Labrador dogs. Only a few reports have proven to be true.

The cougar is a protected species in Minnesota, meaning that it cannot be hunted or trapped. It is unknown how many cougar sightings are of escaped or released pet cougars, which people can buy from game farms and legally own.

There are no reports of cougars attacking humans in Minnesota. Biologists believe that the cougars in Minnesota are wandering through from the mountainous western states.

Support for the protection of wolves is increasing

2015-1-5 • The Cougar Fund

A federal court order has suspended Wisconsin's wolf hunt.

Experts: Cougars Could Return to Northeast

2015-1-2 • The Cougar Fund

Many biologists agree that the northeast US possesses large tracts of suitable habitat for the cats. Now, some believe that recent long-distance dispersals suggest cougars are capable of recolonizing northeastern states they have long been extirpated from.